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Wayne Rew ('55): Public Service Award

Public Service
Wayne Rew ('55)
Mayor, County Commissioner,
College Administrator, Retired

Retired mayor, county commissioner and educator Wayne Rew has made
public service his lifelong mission.

Wayne’s early life was a hodgepodge of educational pursuits and valiant
efforts to cross over from college athlete to sports fame and fortune. He
never quite made that transition, but it did eventually prove to be a path to
a career in higher education and public service.

He was first hired by Pepperdine University in Los Angeles as an instructor
and head track coach. His most important life choice came in 1959 when
he married Loretta Hill, whom he met at Pepperdine.

That same year, Wayne took a position at Downey High School as history
teacher, assistant football coach and tennis coach. He stayed at Downey for
11 years and took graduate courses to prepare for a counseling specialty.
In 1970 he accepted a counseling position at Cerritos College, remaining
there for 31 years. He became Dean of Counseling and Vice President
of Student Services, retiring in 1999. He was named Most Outstanding
Faculty Member while at Cerritos.

Wayne and his wife moved to La Mirada in 1960. Wayne’s successful
campaign to rescue a local elementary school from closure brought a phone
call from the La Mirada mayor asking Wayne to take an appointment on
the city Planning Commission. He served six years on the commission,
then ran for City Council at a time when three incumbents were seeking
re-election. Wayne was the top vote-getter.

Wayne left the City Council in 1999 after 21 years, including five terms as
mayor. He was asked by Fourth District Los Angeles County Supervisor
Don Knabe to serve on the County Quality and Productivity Commission.

He was on that commission for about 15 months before being asked to fill
an opening on the County Regional Planning Commission. Wayne is now
chairman of that body. His public service to La Mirada and Los Angeles
County combined spans 37 years.

A graduate of the U.S. Mayors Leadership Institute, Wayne served on the
Conference of Mayors Committee on Arts, Culture and Recreation. He has
participated in the National League of Cities, California League of Cities,
California Contract Cities Association, NEA and CTA.

A 1955 graduate of Antelope Valley College, Wayne holds bachelor’s and
master’s degrees from Pepperdine University. He was honorably discharged
from the U.S. Army. Wayne and his wife have lived in La Mirada for 53
years.